THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 137 



Notes on Butterfly Pupse, with some remarks on the Phylogenesis of the 

 Rhopalocera. By T. A. Chapman, M. D. 



Readers of the Entomologist's Record (P. Heinsberger, 9 First 

 Avenue, New York, Agent) will have been for some time interested in 

 Dr. Chapman's writings. The description of the different "dresses" of 

 the larvae of Arctiidce have shown us that the phylogeny of the different 

 genera in this group can be studied to advantage by a systematic classifi- 

 cation of larval characters. Each stage of the metamorphic Hexapod 

 must be considered by itself and the larva (as we have seen from Mr. 

 Dyar's writings) should be treated as an independent existence. The 

 more so since the environment is peculiar and modification to meet its 

 requirements is so abundantly displayed. In his present paper in the 

 Record for March 15th, 1895, Dr. Chapman considers the butterfly pupa 

 by itself The author draws attention to the " progress which is evident 

 in the pupa? of Rhopalocera., as in those of Heterocera, from a condition of 

 greater to one of less freedom of the segments ; to the progress from a 

 greater number of exposed appendages (a decided 'Micro ' character) to a 

 less number, though this is not illustrated amongst butterflies except, per- 

 haps, between Hesperids and Papilionids; and to a general progress towards 

 a smoothly rounded, solid form, which, however, is greatly interfered with 

 amongst the butterflies by the exigencies of the development of protective 

 resemblance." From observation, Dr. Chapman concludes that move- 

 ment is never regained by the pupa, when in course of time it has been 

 lost through adaptation. Dr. Chapman also verifies the conclusions laid 

 down by other students that similar structural characters have been 

 reached along different lines by descendants from a common ancestor 

 who did not present any indication of them. 



In the course of a very remarkable expose of pupal characters, Dr. 

 Chapman takes occasion to speak very highly of Scudder's Butterflies of 

 New England, while the authoi's observation of pupae confirms Mr. 

 Scudder's classification, not only broadly, but in considerable detail. The 

 conclusion Dr. Chapman comes to with regard to Papilio is, that Papilio 

 still closely represents the primeval butterfly when it had become truly a 

 butterfly as distinguished from a Hesperid. The low rank of Papilio 

 would now seem to be confirmed from the independent labours of 

 Scudder, Comstock, Dyar, and Chapman. The genus has " fallen from 

 its high estate," without altering the fact that the Swallow-tails are among 



